Interview with Carole Gordon – October 2016

It has been more than 30 years since talented singer Karen Carpenter passed away. Together with her brother Richard, The Carpenters produced a catalogue of classic hits during the 1970s and early 80s before her untimely death at the age of just 32. But the legacy of Karen Carpenter, who died from heart failure arising from the eating disorder anorexia nervosa, continues to live on with the help of stage show, Voice of the Heart – the title of The Carpenters’ poignant last album.

Voice of the Heart is a spectacular two-hour tribute to the legendary Karen Carpenter, made possible by the singing voice of life-long fan Carole Gordon. And Carole will be bringing the musical show, which also features the talented six-piece Blue Jeans Band and singers, to the Lichfield Garrick theatre on Thursday 20 October. Voice of the Heart, which is the creation of Full House Productions, contains the full amazing catalogue of hit songs from The Carpenters, including Yesterday Once More, Goodbye To Love, Close To You, Only Yesterday, as well as their great country favourites Top Of The World, Sweet Sweet Smile, and Jambalaya.

For Carole Gordon, who performs as Karen Carpenter in the show, her music will continue to live on. She says: “Karen has been gone such a long time but her music continues to live on forever more. Her product was timeless and I guess that’s why she’s still played on the radio today. Their harmonies were way ahead of their time. I’m sure she’d be just as popular today if she were still around.”

Carole has been performing in Voice of the Heart for the last decade after the show was created by her and her late husband Bob. She adds: “It started from the back of an earlier show we put together called Forever In Blue Jeans. The musical included a section dedicated to The Carpenters and fans kept asking us to do more of their songs. I hope the show keeps going a long time because I absolutely, personally, love The Carpenters. I have always been a massive fan and have all their records.”

Carole can also point to similarities with The Carpenters after she lost her husband to cancer just over two years ago. Carole and Bob had toured the UK and abroad throughout their early career which had even seen them support legendary country singer Tammy Wynette both in the UK and America. During that time they were voted Top British Duo by the British Country Music Association, enjoyed success in the USA when they represented Britain in Nashville, and performed at the huge country music festivals at Wembley Stadium.

“I wanted to pack it in when Bob became seriously ill, I didn’t want to carry on doing it without him. But he said that if I finished it and stopped singing he would come back and haunt me, so I kept going. I hated it at first but gradually got to love it again, and now I find it a relief to go back out and sing again.”

Carole can be seen as Karen Carpenter when Voice of The Heart is performed at the Lichfield Garrick on Thursday 20 October from 7.30pm. Tickets cost from £20.50, and can be booked online or by calling the Box Office on 01543 412121.